Born in Tortola, the 35 year-old is the Head of the Private Client Services Department at Harney’s Corporate Services Ltd, a recent appointment for which she is “responsible for the administration of BVI Trusts and managed companies, which Harney’s provides services to,” said the Young Professional. “I oversee a team of five, making sure we provide a quality service to our clients,” she continued.

“Our clients are international customers, who have set up their companies and trusts in the VI, and they come to us to transact business on behalf of those companies and trusts. I get the opportunity to interact with a variety of persons, which makes the job really interesting,” she also added.

Not considering herself a ‘driven’ person or particularly ambitious, Ms. Adams explained that she thinks her hard work ethic instilled in her by her parents is the aspect that has brought great job opportunities and senior occupational positions her way. “I don’t consider myself to be very driven, but I suppose my parents instilled in me a sense of having to do my best and always work hard. I guess it has been recognised over the years, but I haven’t set out to do anything in particular. I just did my best and found myself ascending the employment ladder.”

“I don’t see myself as becoming a huge entrepreneur or anything of that grand nature,” she continued. “I just strive to do my best and I have a five year old daughter who I want to set a good example for, similar to the example that my parents laid for me.”

“I think it becomes a bit of a burden to desire wealth or other material possessions so I just want to have sufficient and do right by my daughter,” the Harney’s employee commented.

As part of her rise in the employment world, Ms. Adams has embarked on a fair amount of travelling: “I have travelled around the Caribbean, England, Brazil, Paris, Peru and Botswana. My mother and I have an agreement that if I go somewhere interesting for a business trip for example, she will tag along with me, and if she’s venturing somewhere new and intriguing, I will come on board with her.”

Discussing her worldly travels, the Harney’s employee discovered that going to different places in the world granted her the flexibility and knowledge to communicate with people from different cultures, “Travelling gave me a whole new perspective on the world. It granted me an international flavour making me look at things differently. It allows you to deal with people from different countries with a better comprehension of their requests, because you’ve been in their environment and have improved your own understanding of their background.”

“It makes my specific job easier,” the Young Professional continued. “For example, we have British clients and I know from my experience in Britain that time is of the essence – if they want something done at a certain time, it has to be done on time. In comparison to the Caribbean, although I don’t like the term, there is this saying: ‘Caribbean time’, because we’re considered more laid back, and time isn’t so particular; a big difference with the UK.”

The Head of the Harney’s sub division explained how she is improving her career prospects with her current academic pursuit in Law, but doesn’t harbour a definitive decision in her aspirations for the future. “Right now I’m actually doing an external Law degree with the University of London so I’m aiming to complete that, but beyond that I don’t know,” she said.

“I love working here in the VI, I love the environment, and I’m looking forward to taking my career to the next level in the company.”

To solidify her foundations, Ms Adams took a unique approach to her career in the early stages. Seeing her friends and colleagues jetting off to other countries to do degrees, the Young Professional decided to review the Territory for the occupations that were distinctly needed and studied the qualifications that would facilitate her transition into these jobs more easily.

An example was from 2005 to 2007, where she achieved dazzling results in modules studied in the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, achieving a distinction in the vast majority of modules.

“I looked at jobs available in the Virgin Islands; any market gaps that needed to be filled. I balanced my discoveries with what I could do and would enjoy doing, because that’s important too – no point doing something that you’re not able to fulfil efficiently,” Ms. Adams commented.

“I learned that people around me who were studying a first degree in say Accounting, were finding that the degree alone wasn’t enough for the employers requisites. Managers were looking for more vocational qualifications that make you marketable. This is the route I took, which made my resume more attractive and applicable to jobs in the VI.”

The Harney’s employee has had a vast quantity of occupations, ranging from working for the Government’s Ministry of Finance, to the Financial Services Department, through Trust companies up to her high ranking status at Harney’s. “There is nothing I would change in my career to date. It has been interesting and although I have served in many different jobs, these are choices I have made, because I was looking for the right fit and I believe I have found it here at Harney’s.”

Ms. Adams came to a close, advising that her professional life has been hard work, but that her faith has kept her strong. “My faith keeps me grounded, gives me perspective and assists with the sometimes stressful times that can occur in life. As a Seventh Day Adventist, I do love the Sabbath, as it is a time when I can relax and take a breather,” she ended.